The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
PS Corcha Dhuibhne show true grit to edge out four goal St Pats in thrilling McGirr final
ALL-IRELAND COLLEGES JBFC (PAUL MCGIRR CUP) FINAL PS Corcha Dhuibhne 2-20 St Pats Maghera 4-13 (after extra-time)
MUCH like three years in the Hogan Cup Final between the same schools, albeit with different players, it was another white knuckle ride between Pobalscoil Corcha Dhuibhne and St Pats Maghera of Derry last Saturday.
This time, however, it was a high scoring classic as opposed to a tight, dour struggle with both teams serving up a contest that could enter any conversation for a ‘game of the year’ contender.
Maghera should have been well on their way to victory at half-time, however, Pobalscoil somehow managed to find a way to hang in there and grew in confidence much like their campaign in general to take victory after 80 enthralling minutes last Saturday.
The game was six minutes old when the first of six goals came. Ruaidhrí Ó Beaglaoich had the initial chance for Pobalscoil but at the second time of asking for Cillian Ó Failbhe he found the net although it was the exception more than the rule for the Kerry side as Maghera dominated the first-half.
Both of their goals were carbon copies of the other, the influential Eunan Mulholland running through the Pobalscoil defence at will and finding Alex Doherty for two fisted goals that had Maghera 2-4 to 1-4 ahead at the break.
Only for Eoin Ó Brosnacháin being brave on two occasions as well as the intervention of the crossbar on another the gap would have been more as Pobalscoil needed Colin Ó Muircheartaigh and Pádraig Ó Cathalláin to be strong in defence.
Maghera themselves needed to make a big defensive clearance to stop Colm Ó Muircheartaigh getting a second goal for Eamon Fitzmaurice’s side early in the second period. However, they looked to be well in control when Mullholland scored their third goal in the 40th minute to put them 3-5 to 1-8 ahead.
Corcha Dhuibhne were undeterred, however, as almost instantly Dylan Ó Géibheannaigh responded with a goal that went straight into the top left-hand corner of the net. Emboldened by that score Pobalscoil went back in front so much that Maghera needed huge points from midfielders Conleth McShane and Pat Shivers and an equalising free from Doherty to bring the game to extra-time at 3-10 to 2-13 after 60 pulsating minutes.
Crucially Pobalscoil scored all five of the points in the first period of extra-time, in the last five minutes to boot although the game went back into the melting pot early in the second period.
Alex Doherty converted a penalty for Maghera and finished with a personal tally of 3-4 as Ruaidhrí Ó Beaglaoich finished with 10 points for Pobalscoil with one of only two scores for them in the second period.
The score that decided it at the end of all the excitement was a great moment of composure from Aodhán Ó Dubháin as he fisted over his second point with time drawing to a close and Maghera unable to make amends.
A shame that there had to be a loser and no one would have quibbled about a second day but another great chapter in PS Corcha Dhuibhne’s young history was written in last Saturday. POBALSCOIL CORCHA DHUIBHNE: Eoin Ó Brosnacháin (Daingean Uí Chúis), Conchúir Ó Flannúra (do), Seán Óg Ó Móráin (do), Colin Ó Muircheartaigh (do), Colm Ó Muircheartaigh (Abha na Scáil), Gearóid Ó Leidhinn (do), Pádraig Ó Cathalláin (An Gaeltacht), Franz Sauerland (do, 0-2), Séamus Ághas (Abha na Scáil, 0-1), Aodhán Ó Dubháin (An Gaeltacht, 0-2), Cillian Ó Failbhe (Abha na Scáil, 1-2), Deividas Uosis (Daingean Ui Chúis, 0-1), Steven Ó Conchúir (An Gaeltacht, 0-1, 1f), Dylan Ó Géibheannaigh (Daingean Uí Chúis, 1-0) Ruaidhrí Ó Beaglaoich (An Gaeltacht, 0-10, 5f) Subs: Bréanainn Ó Bruic (An Gaeltacht) for Ó Dubháin, Criostóir Ó Catháin (Daingean Uí Chúis) for Ó Conchúir, Cathal Ó Beaglaoich (An Gaeltacht, 0-1) for Ághas, Oscar Dáibhís (do) for Ó Catháin (BC), Seamus Ághas (Abha na Scáil) for Ó Bruic, Aodhán Ó Dubháin (An Gaeltacht) for Ó Failbhe ST PATS MAGHERA: Caolan Convery, Conlan Milne, Shea Murray, Seán Turner, PJ McAleese, Cathair Glass, Eunan Mulholland (1-0), Conleth McShane (0-1), Pat Shivers (0-1), Ethan Doherty, JP McGuigan (0-2), Daithí McLaughlin, Conleth McGuckin (0-1), Alex Doherty (3-4, 2f), Enda Downey Subs: Séamus McKenna for McGuigan, Sean Kearney (0-4, 4f) for McGuckin, Oisín Doherty for Glass and Cahan O’Neill for Mulholland REFEREE: John Hickey (Carlow)